San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa did not participate in Monday's practice as the team began preparations for its trip to Australia, where it will face the Los Angeles Rams on September 10. Instead, Bosa worked on the side while his teammates went through team drills.
Bosa missed most of training camp and did not play during the preseason after experiencing soreness and tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee. The star pass rusher is continuing his recovery from the ACL injury that limited him to just three games last season.
49ers general manager John Lynch joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Tuesday morning and provided an update on Bosa's status. Lynch said Bosa is expected to continue working on the side during Tuesday's practice. Still, the plan is for him to participate in Wednesday's session—the team's final practice before the lengthy trip to Australia.
"Nick worked to the side yesterday, and I think that's the plan today," Lynch said. "Wednesday, he wants to get out on the field. We've been working in conjunction with Nick on the best plan. He's been doing great work to the side. Nick has always had a great sense—and I've always believed this—really good players are very in tune with their body. Nick is certainly that. He's come back from ACLs before.
"It's disappointing because he came back in camp and was all ready, and then when he tried to get out there on the field, it got stirred up a little, and he got some tendinitis that often happens in an ACL recovery. So that was unfortunate. We pulled back. We got everything to where it was feeling better. And then Nick has kind of got behind this plan of really building him up, and then putting him back on the field."
The next step in that ramp-up is getting Bosa back on the practice field Wednesday before the 49ers depart for their overseas trip. The team is taking a cautious approach with the return of its star pass rusher.
"So, is it ideal? No," Lynch continued. "But I will tell you, so long as he responds well, he's been tracking very well. Now, always ramping it up to actual football is a difference, and so that's the next step, and we're very hopeful."
The 49ers hope Bosa's return can provide a significant boost to a defensive front that recorded an NFL-low 20 sacks last season.
Mentioned in this article: Nick Bosa
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